Easier is Not Their Way
by I hart Booth
Summary: [Booth needed her. For once in their whole time knowing eachother, he was the one pulling away and she was trying desperately to hang on.] BB fo sho!
1. Chapter 1

_**This is a two chappie fic, the first is a songfic set to Easier to Run by Linkin Park, the second...well...it's not here yet so it doesn't matter. **_

_**Disclaimer: Do I look like Hart Hanson to you?**_

Sid threw another worried glance in the direction of his friend. He continued drying glasses behind the counter as if nothing else were going on, but secretly he was watching G-man like a hawk.

Booth walked into Wong Fu's two hours ago and Sid hadn't asked, simply placed the bottle of whiskey in front of him and walked away. Now though, his friend was slumped far over the bar, his head hung low like it weighed a thousand pounds.

"Hey G-man, I think you've had enough." Sid said, walking over from the other end of the bar.

Booth looked up at the sound of Sid's voice and waited for his slightly delayed brain to realize what he was saying.

"Yeah?" Booth shrugged, if Sid said it then it was probably true. "Okay."

Booth got up and was surprised when the ground began to approach him quickly.

Sid dove across the bar and grabbed Booth's collar before he splattered across the floor. He roughly settled him back on the barstool.

"Just hold on there, I'll call someone to get you."

Again, Booth shrugged, handed Sid his cell phone and laid his head down on the sticky counter.

**It's easier to run**

**Replacing this pain with something numb**

**It's so much easier to go**

**Than face all this pain here all alone**

"Brennen." The scientist answered her phone on the second ring while she continued to stare at the bones laid out before her.

The case she and Booth had just finished was one of the most gruesome she'd seen, even counting the mass graves in Guatamala. She and Booth had both been growing increasingly tense over the weeks of the case, so when they solved it earlier that day, she'd come back to the lab to relax with a few bones from Limbo. Absently though, she wondered how Booth was coping, as tough as it had been for her, she knew it hit him ten times harder. These types of cases always did…

"Sid?" She took her phone away from her ear and checked the caller ID, "Why are you using Booth's phone?...he what?..Oh...no...no, thanks Sid, I'll be there in ten minutes." She flipped closed her phone and peeled off her gloves as she jogged back to her office for her purse.

**Something has been taken**

**.From deep inside of me**

**A secret I've kept locked away**

**No one can ever see**

**Wounds so deep they never show**

**They never go away**

**Like moving pictures in my head**

**For years and years they've played**

"Booth?" She sat next to him and touched his back softly, he groaned and opened his eyes.

"Hey Bonesss." He slurred, slowly raising his head and trying to focus on her, but his eyelids felt unbelievably heavy.

"Hey yourself." She said softly, giving him a sympathetic smile, then turning to the man behind the bar, "Thanks Sid, I'll take care of him."

Sid nodded and held out a bottle to her, "For the killer hangover he's going to have tomorrow morning."

Brennen took the bottle and pushed it into her purse, then taking one of Booth's limp arms she pulled his weight onto her and started out the door.

Booth was aware of his sudden change in altitude and jerked his head up, trying to regain his bearings. It didn't work, just made him dizzier.

"Uh, Booth, could you not do that please?" Brennen gritted her teeth and struggled to keep both of them on their feet, he weighed at least twice as much as she did and his sudden movements weren't helping either of them stay upright.

**If I could change I would**

**Take back the pain I would**

**Retrace every wrong move that I made I would**

**If I could stand up and take the blame I would**

**If I could take all the shame to the grave**

Brennen drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, trying to decide whether to take him to her place or his. She glanced at him in the passenger seat, his head laying heavily against the window as his eyes fluttered with each bump she rolled over in the street.

"Ouch." He grumbled when they hit a speed bump.

"Sorry."

They pulled up in front of his apartment building, Brennen's car having decided for her that this would be the best place for him.

She got out of the car and rushed around to his side as he tried to get out by himself and managed to almost bite the dust.

"H-hey, Bones? I…" He said softly as they crossed into the warmth of the apartment lobby.

"Shhhh, Booth, you're almost home."

**Sometimes I remember**

**The darkness of my past**

**Bringing back these memories**

**I wish I didn't have**

**Sometimes I think of letting go**

**And never looking back**

**And never moving forward so**

**There would never bee a past**

She leaned him against the wall and tried each key until she found the one that opened his door and flicked on the light.

Then, grabbing his arm again Brennan led him inside and straight back to his bedroom. Halfway there, though, she felt him suddenly leave her side. She reached out for him in the darkness, but he was nowhere to be found. Then she heard the heaves coming from the bathroom to her left.

She found the lightswitch and flicked it on.

Booth's large frame engulfed in a thin gray jacket was hunched over the toilet, his hands shaking. He groaned and Brennen pursed her lips walking over to him to she could help him to his feet.

She flushed the toilet as he leaned over the sink, splashing his face with cool water. She had been watching him for a few moments her blue eyes flooded with concern before he faced her. His face held an unreadable expression as he grabbed her arm and pushed her from the room.

"Booth!" She tried the doorknob but found that he'd locked it. She heard him throwing up again and sighed heavily.

To busy herself until he was done and keep herself from worrying too much Brennan went to the bedroom and pulled back the sheets. She'd been here a few times and wouldn't normally make herself so at home, but these weren't normal circumstances. The sounds of water and an electric toothbrush made their way through the bathroom door and she sat on the bed to wait for him to emerge.

**Just washing it aside**

**All of the helplessness inside**

**Pretending I don't feel misplaced**

**Is so much simpler than change**

"Ooomf." Booth banged his shoulder on the door jam as he fought his way out of the bathroom. Then, using the walls for support, he staggered back to his bedroom.

Brennan was waiting and stood to help him across the open space of the room to the bed.

Booth fell onto the bed, exhaustion commanding him to close his eyes and fall asleep. He ignored it though and immediately began struggling as Brennen tried to help him out of his jacket and shoes.

"I'm fine Bones. I can do it by myself." His voice was quiet but demanding.

Brennen chuckled softly, "Yeah, you who can't take two steps on your own without falling."

"Leave me alone!" He said, firmly pushing her arms off him before he laid back down and turned his back to her.

Booth's head was banging, he was sure it was trying to implode on itself and the lightness that had descended on him earlier was gone with the contents of his stomach, replaced with an uncomfortable tightness in his chest.

Brennen studied his silohette. He had no idea how much she really wanted to leave him alone, to distance herself from this relationship that seemed to pull her in like a magnet. She'd never been this close to anyone, and yes, that scared the hell out of her, but this was not the time or place to deal with that.

Booth needed her. For once in their whole time knowing eachother, he was the one pulling away and she was trying desperately to hang on.

"No Booth. I won't leave you alone." She said to his back, shedding her coat and shoes and sitting down next to him on the bed.

"Like it or not, I'm staying with you." She curled up beside him, back to back, and laid her head down on the pillow that smelled like him and she inhaled deeply, unconciously. Booth would not be alone through this, and incidentally, neither would she.

**It's easier to run replacing this pain with something numb**

**It's so much easier to go**

**Than face all this pain here all alone**

Booth felt her lay down next to him and pushed his anger aside, she was going to stay. In spite of himself, he was glad.

After a few seconds, Brennen felt the mattress shift beneath her and a strong arm wrapped around her middle, pulling her closer.

Then she felt his soft lips place a kiss on her jaw line just below her ear.

"Thank you." He whispered.

Brennen just smiled and reached up to touch his cheek with one of her hands.

"I'll always be here for you Booth. I won't let you take the easy way out." He squeezed her middle in response and sleep came easy that night.

**_So there is another chapter to this if anyone is interested..._**


	2. Chapter 2

**_This part is not a songfic, just a chapter o' fluff! Oh, and it's also a lead in to a sequel I have planned. te-he_**

Brennan's eyes popped open at six o'clock the next morning and a panic gripped her briefly as she tried to figure out where she was.

Taking a deep breath, the scent of him surrounded her.

_I'm at Booth's._ She thought, immediately feeling at ease.

_That explains the arm._

She smiled slightly at Booth's muscular arm wrapped tightly around her middle and closed her eyes for a self-indulgent second.

_I could just stay here…_

She quickly shook the thought from her head and began the difficult task of sliding out of the bed without disturbing her partner.

Face contorting into different pained expressions, she carefully and silently tried to detangle herself from Booth, Booth's sheets, and Booth's bed.

She was almost home free when the man groaned slightly, turning over and startling Brennan who fell to the floor.

"Ouch." She whispered, and peeked over the edge of the bed to see if she'd woken him.

Thankfully, the hung over FBI agent was still breathing rhythmically.

She stood and watched him for a moment, tilting her head to the side. His face was soft and relaxed in sleep, like all was right in the world. He looked so vulnerable, that tough cop exterior he tried so hard to put on during the day just melted away when he was dreaming.

Before she knew what was happening, Brennan's hand was reached out and began stroking his hair softly. A small smile came to Booth's lips and she realized what she was doing, retracting her arm quickly and leaving the room.

She felt slightly guilty for leaving him alone as she pulled on her shoes and found her car keys, knowing he would probably be disoriented and definitely have a headache when he woke.

She rummaged through his cupboards for a few minutes and finally found the aspirin. Then she poured him a glass of water and wrote a note.

**Booth**

**You had a rough night last night so you probably won't remember what happened. Sid called me because you were drunk so I came and got you. I stayed and am leaving early to go home and get ready for work. Here is some aspirin and water, it will make your head feel smaller.**

**Temperance**

**Bones**

She smiled to herself, proud she'd remembered that Angela once told her what it was like to be hung over and she was able to add a bit of…humanity to the note. Then, she crept back to the bedroom, placed the items carefully on the bedside table and exited the apartment silently.

--------------------------------

Brennan felt his presence before he made it known. It was almost midday and she was staring intently at her computer screen, reading over emails, writing reports and generally trying to keep herself busy until something more interesting came up.

She didn't acknowledge him, she didn't know what to say. _Did he just want to forget about last night? Could he even remember it in the first place?_

"It's lunch time Bones." Booth marched into her office and plopped down in one of the chairs opposite her desk, as usual. She judged by the nonchalant look on his face that he did not remember anything of last night.

"I'm aware Booth." She glanced at him. He looked much better than he had the night before. His suit was wrinkle-free, he was clean-shaven, and his cologne wafted in her direction, her lungs begging to inhale deeply.

Brennan tried with all her might to remain focused on what she was doing, but Booth's stare was making it extremely difficult.

"What do you want Booth?" She felt herself getting irritated.

"I want lunch and I want you to come with me." He said, tossing a rubber ball between his right and left hands.

Brennan just shook her head.

"I can't. I've got more paperwork than I'd like to discuss and the only way I'm getting out of here at any kind of a decent hour is to work through lunch." She rose from her desk to get something off a nearby shelf.

She didn't even realize Booth had gotten up to stand behind her until she turned around and ran directly into him.

"Booth!" She tried to take a step back and only succeeded in pushing herself into the wall.

He gave her a small smile, his hands in his pockets.

"Thank you Temperance."

Brennan raised an eyebrow at him.

"What are you talking about?"

Booth met her gaze and held it, leaning a little bit closer so their noses were mere inches apart.

"For last night. I know I was a mess. Thank you for taking care of me. Thank you for being there." He cleared his throat, he wasn't used to thanking people for things like that. There wasn't usually anyone to thank.

Brennan just nodded slightly, the sincerity in his eyes threatening to overwhelm her.

She shrugged. "It was no big deal Booth."

Silence passed between them, but neither made any moves to get out of the other's personal space.

Without warning, Booth leaned down, placed a quick kiss on her lips and immediately backed away toward the door.

Brennan stared after him, stunned. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came.

Booth looked back at her and shook his head.

"Don't analyze it Temperance. That was just the best way I could think of to show you how much I appreciate what you did."

Then he was gone, leaving the shocked scientist alone in her office.

Slowly, one of her hands reached up and touched her lips, they were on fire. She slumped into her chair, her eyes staring at the files on her desk, her mind racing with what Booth had just done, why he'd done it, and if he planned to do it again.

The afternoon passed slowly, Brennan's focus was elusive at best. Her thoughts kept wandering back to _him._ A fact she found entirely annoying when she was trying to work, but entirely welcome as well.

That evening Brennan found herself at Booth's door. She wasn't sure how she'd gotten there, when or why, but still, here she was.

And apparently she'd knocked as well because Booth's door swung open and he looked at her.

"Bones?" He smiled, leaning on the door with one arm, cradling a beer with the other.

Brennan smiled back at him, trying with all her might not to notice the form fitting t-shirt and loose jeans he wore.

"May I come in?"

Booth stood aside and she followed him into his apartment, then proceeded to follow him to the kitchen, where smells of sautéed vegetables and grilled chicken beckoned to her.

"I didn't know you could cook."

Booth just shrugged.

"I know my way around a kitchen. Want a beer?"

Brennan nodded as he turned off the heat under his food and went to the refrigerator.

Without asking if she wanted him to, he opened the cold beer for her and handed it over.

"So you want to stay for dinner or…?"

Brennan shook her head as she took a long sip from her beer.

"I just came to ask you a question."

"What's that?" He leaned against the countertop, a dish towel slung over his shoulder, watching her as she struggled to find appropriate wording.

"I was wondering, um…that is, why…did you kiss me?"

He hesitated slightly.

"To say 'thank you'."

"Is that the only reason?"

Booth studied her seriously, her expression a mixture between fear and hope.

"No." He said finally.

Brennan seemed to physically relax, so Booth took this as a sign that he'd given the right answer.

"My turn. Why did you stay with me last night?"

Brennan mimicked her shrug from earlier in the day. "We're partners. We look out for each other."

"That the only reason?"

She studied the floor, refusing to meet his eyes.

"No." She almost whispered.

Booth set down his beer and closed the space between them.

"Temperance."

She suddenly lunged at him, pulling her arms tight around his back and burying her head in his chest.

The adrenalin rush that seemed to have been powering her all day had suddenly worn off. She was left feeling completely naked and vulnerable as she stood there in Booth's kitchen, admitting she'd enjoyed spending the night with him. Enjoyed kissing him.

The thought terrified her and yet for some reason the only place she could think to find comfort that moment, was in _his_ embrace.

Booth wrapped his arms around her shoulders, loving the feeling of her body against his.

"Booth?"

"Yeah?"

"Why is it that when you hug me I feel safe and scared at the same time?" She knew it was more of a rhetorical question, a question she would keep to herself on any other occasion.

For some reason, though, she felt the need to fill their silence at that moment, as if allowing herself to think would have been harder than allowing herself to speak.

"What do you mean?" He rubbed her back slowly.

"I mean, that when you're arms are around me…it's like nothing can hurt me. But, then that means I am dependent on you, and that scares me."

Booth squeezed her once, and she relaxed further against him. He set his chin on her head, not even aware that he'd begun to sway her gently from side to side.

He sighed, "Don't be scared of me Temperance. And just so you know, you're not exactly alone in the fear department." He mumbled.

"What?" She pulled back to look at him.

He gave her a lopsided smile.

"I can walk into a room filled with gang bangers, mafia hit men, and convicted murders and not even blink. But…at the thought of being near you…my heart starts to beat triple time, my mind starts racing, my palms get sweaty…you scare the living daylights out of me Bones."

Brennan furrowed her brows. "Why, I mean I know I can beat you up but…"

"No, it's not that." He chuckled, "And no you can't. But you…Bones you have my heart. My whole heart, and you can do with it what you please. You have the power to make or break my day. The thought of disappointing you…kills me. And when you smile, I feel like I can fly." Booth smiled shyly, knowing he was revealing far more than he intended.

Brennan's mouth hung open as she stared up at him, the truth of his words was obvious.

_I had no idea. I mean, I suspected but…wow._

She suddenly pulled from his arms.

"Wait. We're both scared…is that some sort of sign?" Worry crossed her features and Booth smiled, bringing her close again.

"You don't believe in signs."

"But you do."

Booth nodded. "Yeah, I do. But I believe in us more."

With that he lifted her chin and placed a deep kiss on her mouth. A kiss that sent shivers up his spine and curled her toes inside her boots. Neither moved to break the kiss for some time. The night was full of possibilities and oxygen was purely optional.

They say opposites attract.

He was an instinct driven ex-sniper who hoped to make it to heaven one day. She was a hard facts scientist, emotionally distant but innocent despite everything she'd seen. He would say fate brought them together, she would say fate doesn't exist. Apart they were all right, maybe not happy, but content. Together the world was on fire and there was no telling what might happen.

It would probably have been safer to stay friends, keep the lines between personal and professional clearly drawn. It would have been easier for sure. But then, Seeley Booth and Temperance Brennen existed on a playing field where they wrote their own rules, and easier is simply not their way.

**_So whadayathink? _**


End file.
